This invention relates to a horizontal moving walkway formed of an endless loop of support pallets. In particular, this invention provides such a walkway requiring less vertical and horizontal space beneath the floor surface.
A moving walkway for transporting pedestrians is essentially an endless loop made up of a series of pallets or treads that form the walkway surface. Each pallet is hinged to each adjacent pallet allowing the surface to xe2x80x9cbendxe2x80x9d as it reverses direction at each end. The series of pallets is carried by a pallet chain which is generally connected to each pallet and the vertical load on each pallet is carried by outboard wheels, usually situated at a hinge joint between adjacent pallets.
The wellway depth required for a horizontal moving walkway of this type is determined primarily by two dimensions: 1) the pallet height, i.e. the effective xe2x80x9cthicknessxe2x80x9d of each pallet, and 2) the diameter of the;,direction-reversing sprockets at each end of the walkway. The diameter of the sprockets is largely determined by the length of each pallet, which limits the effective turning radius of the endless loop.
The present invention addresses each of these limitations by dividing each pallet into multiple pieces using a unidirectional hinge mechanism. This allows the use of a shorter height pallet which will reduce the occupied space in all areas. The total height of the wellway can be reduced by two times the difference of total pallet height. Likewise, the shorter effective length of each pallet will allow the use of smaller diameter drive and tension sprockets, which will, in turn, reduce both the depth And length of the turn-around areas.
The present invention is characterized by a moving walkway having a walkway surface with first and second ends and formed from a series of hinged rigid pallets in an endless loop. A direction-reversing sprocket is located at each of the first and second ends. Each pallet is hinged to adjacent pallets, along an axis which is substantially transverse to the walkway, at opposite ends of the pallets along a length of the endless loop. Each pallet is transversely subdivided into a plurality of parts, each of the pallet parts being unidirectionally hinged to an adjacent one of the plurality of parts such that each pallet will support vertical loads on the walkway surface as a rigid unit and will hinge separately as the endless loop reverses direction around the sprockets.
In preferred form, each pallet is divided into at least three subparts. Other characteristics and features of the invention include the unidirectional hinges having an axis of rotation substantially below the walkway surface and abutment surfaces on leading and edges of each pallet to abut a surface of the adjacent pallet part so as to provide a load-bearing connection therebetween and substantially prevent a downward deflection between adjacent parts by a load on the walkway surface. The abutment surface may extend substantially along the full width of each pallet edge.
In preferred form, the walkway includes main load-supporting bearings (preferably comprising wheels) substantially outboard of the, pallets and substantially adjacent hinged connections between the pallets. The walkway may also include secondary load-support bearing (also preferably wheels) laterally and/or longitudinally between the main support bearings.
The walkway may utilize pallet chains to join the pallets in an endless loop or may utilize hinges between each pallet to join the pallets in an endless loop without pallet chains. In addition, to reduce noise and undesirable stretching, wear resistant synthetic bushings may be used for the hinged pallet embodiment of the present invention.
Other characteristics and features of the invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon review of the various figures of the drawing, the detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention, and the claims, all of which comprise disclosure of the invention.